Difference Between Baking Soda and Baking Powder

Baking Mystery for Beginners !! What is difference between Baking Powder & Baking Soda. I got lots of mails & messages regarding difference between baking soda & Baking powder, where to use them, why we use both in some cases. Sometime these questions become more complicated as this all are related to “Chemistry”. So I will not jump to any complications of this topic, and only try to explain you kitchen basics of Baking Powder & Baking Soda.

What is Baking soda?

It is a rising agent use in different baking recipes and in Indian Breads like Naan & Bhatura. It activates when it is mixed with acidic nature ingredients like butter milk (chaach), curd, lemon, vinegar etc.
Keep this one line in mind Baking Soda will start rising batter or dough just after it is mixed with it, and second thing is that Baking soda will used to spread.
You can use Baking soda in recipes like pan cakes, cookies, naan ( Indian bread) we can also use baking powder in naan, bhatura (Indian Bread)
You know why some baking products have a bitter taste? That is when you put more baking soda. So always read recipe carefully and keep baking soda quantity accurate. If you want brown colors in your cookies or cakes then a little amount of baking soda can work for you.

What is Baking powder?

It is also a rising agent and a popular one just like baking soda. It is made up of baking soda & acidic nature ingredient like cream of tartar. It is a double acting rising agent, once it will activate while you mix it with batter or dough and after that it will rise when batter or dough will be heated. In cakes baking powder is used to rise it. It is also used in recipes in which we don’t use acidic nature ingredient like vinegar, lemon juice or curd.

Why I use both in my

Sometimes one agent is not enough to rise cake therefore we have to use both. I used baking soda to rise batter of cake and give it a brown color, and I use baking powder to rise it while cake is heating. So this is a simple answer for many questions.
I think after this you all get some idea about baking powder & baking soda.